Sports Unit

Recognising the importance of sports as an integral part of total education, the University from inception took sports as a very serious issue

However, due to non-availability of sports experts, a Committee chaired by the former Registrar, Dr. AbdulHakeem Adekola was charged with the responsibilities of taking care of the activity.

Within the short period of commencement, Fountain University demonstrated flair for Footballing relative to other sporting activities. To encourage the interest in footballing, the University embarked on both internal and external football matches, in particular with LAUTECH and Osun State University. The personal donations of Professor H. O. B. Oloyede (Pioneer Vice-Chancellor) and Dr. Adekola’s (Pioneer Registrar) cups for competition amongst the students are to further encourage the interest in footballing.

With the appointment of a Sport Coordinator, Mr Adedokun, C. A. at the beginning of the 2011/2012 session, there was a turnaround in sporting activities on the campus. Thus facilities and equipment available for sporting activities include the Football field, Volley ball court, Table tennis boards, Chess boards and digital clocks, scrabble boards and dictionary, sets of football jersey, soccer balls, Basket balls, and Volley balls

As a way of promoting sporting activities, Wednesday has been earmarked on the time table as the sporting day for both staff and students.

SPORTS ACTIVITIES IN FOUNTAIN UNIVERSITY

As an educational social institution at the tertiary level, the Nigerian university system must perpetually be subjected to the crucial test of relevance of its programmes and practices. Sport is one of the critical areas of this test of relevance.

Sports according to Webster’s collegiate dictionary is defined as physical activities engaged in, both indoor and outdoor for measure and exercise.

Sports can also be defined as an integral part of total education. There are three characteristics of sports namely;

(a) Competition; Soccer, Basket balls and Volley balls, Chess etc

this involves the attempt to defeat an opponent e.g. individual or team.

(b)Physical Activity; physical activity is an attempt to defeat an opponent through physical abilities such as strength, speed, stamina, accuracy and flexibility. The outcome of all the above is determined by the application of the strategy, chance as well as luck and payer.

(c) Rules and regulation; rules and regulation distinguishes sporting activities from mere playful and spontaneous activities. The enforcement of the rules however, varies by type and level of the sporting activity.

It is observed that students’ participation in sports is a matter of convenience and the extent it can be accommodated by academics program’s in the university. As expected, the level of funding is low; standard of performance is below expectation, pointing to the fact that both the university governance and the students themselves may not have taken the sports as a critical factor of youth development and empowerment.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES; sports was established to prevent crime among the students and the participants, at all levels, to provide mentors and heroes for youth to follow and aspire to.

Sports provide avenue for socialization, share ideas belief values and competition. It gives an opportunities to experience the good, the bad and the ugly, build relationship, learn to accommodate, dialogue, team work, unity, uses of power, respect and be respected, accountable, escalate, and de-escalate and keep peace among the students.

PROBLEM AND CHALLENGES; the problem and the challenges encountered by sports participation in the university are itemized as thus;

Duration; the sports participating time is in-adequate due to the tight scheduled of the student’s academic pursuit.

Fund; in- proper funding are the main factors that has a serious effect on the sports development in the university system. Others are;

Lack of adequate facilities and equipment

Religious believe

Power conflict

Non flexibility of the university curriculum

ACHIEVEMENTS; the sports unit has recorded numerous success in the sports participation within and outside the university campus, some of these are;

The university football team had participated in various friendly football matches with neighboring universities in which we have recorded series of victories, this also extended to the table tennis, volleyball and basketball.

The university in her inaugural participation in the Nigeria Private University Games (NPUGA) held at Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji in 2013, the university was placed ninth (9th) position out of twenty-seven (27) participated universities.

RECORMMENDATION; Participation in sports whether in the school related or with a local organization can clearly be a constructive opportunity for introducing and reinforcing positive life lessons which will prepare the students especially for the future. It can be concluded that the benefits of the sports programmes and participations are encompassing.

It should be noted that, the afore mentioned achievements recorded by the university teams shouldn’t have been possible if not for the total supports, financial, moral, and physical been given by the university management .

However, there are many factors militating against sports participation in the university. Based on the conclusion, some of these recommendations were made;

I.Provision of basic facilities and equipment.

II.Adequate sensitization of students on the need to participate in sports.

III.Consideration of individual student’s differences.

IV.There is need to jacked up sports budget

V.Need to effect the sports time on the school time table.

VI.Introduction of incentives such as scholarship to an outstanding student athletes.

More friendly matches should be encouraged by the university management.

Sports should be made compulsory even if to be a unity less course in the university curriculum.